If you’re involved with a business that conducts importing or exporting on any level, than you will likely also be involved in shipping freight to some degree. 10.77 billion tons of freight (primary shipments only) were transported by trucks in 2017 alone. It’s most likely you’ll be dealing with freight that is also transported by trucks across the country to get to its destination. Before getting started, however, there are some important questions that need to be considered before shipping anything, and this article will take a look at some of those questions.

• Are You Using Expedited Freight Services?: One question that must be asked right away is whether or not you will be using expedited freight services to ship your freight. As the name implies, expedited freight services are employed to make sure freight reaches its destination as quickly as possible. Expedited shipping services can be used by a number of companies, including LTL freight companies. However, the big thing that needs to be considered with this question, is are you willing to pay the extra cost to get your freight to where it needs to go more quickly? Expedited freight services naturally cost more, so it’s important to consider if you’re willing to pay the extra cost.
• Are You Shipping Something Considered Hazardous?: Another question that needs to be asked is if you are shipping materials that could be considered hazardous. For example, does your freight include flammable gas, or hazardous chemicals. If the freight you’re shipping doesn’t fall under these parameters, than you can use a regular shipping service. However, if your freight can be considered hazardous, then you should use specialized hazmat trucking companies that can convey any hazardous materials safely.
• Is Your Freight Considered LTL Freight?: And finally, a third question that needs to be asked when shipping any freight is whether your freight is considered LTL freight? LTL freight refers to “less than truckload” freight, and consists of small freight that doesn’t take up an entire trailer. If your freight falls under this category, you can make use of LTL freight companies to do your shipping.

In conclusion, there are several questions that need to be asked when you ship any freight for the company you work for. These questions include: are you using expedited freight services, are you shipping something considered hazardous, and is your freight considered LTL freight? These are just a few of the questions that need to be asked when shipping any large amounts of freight.